Heyday committed to music

That is especially true for a new band that has songs the members want music fans to hear.

The band The Heyday, however, resisted that temptation, guitarist and lead vocalist Randy Ramirez says.

The Denver-based bandÂ?s decision to spend time writing and rehearsing instead of rushing onto the road, he says, has paid off.

Instead of rushing to play clubs in Colorado cities such as Denver, Boulder or Fort Collins, the five members of The Heyday went to the woodshed, where they worked to refine their sound.

Â?There were times when we wondered if we should be out there playing,Â? Ramirez says. Â?But I stuck to my guns.Â?

Ramirez says that the members felt good about the five original songs they had written. In fact, The Heyday had returned to the stage, and the band was thinking about making an extended-play CD when a couple of things happened that validated the groupÂ?s decision to leave the concert scene for a while.

First, a music writer heard The HeydayÂ?s music and wrote a positive article in a local paper. Then, Ramirez says, a Fort Collins-based producer offered to produce a full-length album.

So, the group created five more songs for their self-titled CD, which they are now promoting with a tour that includes a performance Monday at Ugly Mugs in South Bend.

Ramirez adds that the audience response also validated the bandÂ?s decision to practice and write instead of tour.

Â?We have people who we have never met singing along with us when we perform,Â? he says. Â?ItÂ?s one thing to get the support of friends and people who you know, but when you get that kind of response from people who you don't know, itÂ?s kind of cool.Â?

Ramirez says the strong response is the result of the bandÂ?s commitment to being full-time musicians.

Ramirez and pianist Jeff Appareti were members of a roots/Americana band. Both men enjoyed performing, but Ramirez and Appareti were ready to make a deeper commitment to the music.

Â?We wanted to treat it more like a full-time job as opposed to a hobby,Â? Ramirez says.

Ramirez and Appareti were soon joined by three other men who had the same vision when they recruited bass player Peter Wynn, drummer Sean Bennett and guitarist Brian Martin.

That vision comes through in the way the five members collaborate to write songs, Ramirez says.

Ramirez says he starts out by writing some chord progressions and sharing them with the other band members, who offer their input.

Ramirez then writes the lyrics after the group composes the musical arrangement.

Having that many hands stirring the creative pot might be too much for some people, but Ramirez says it works for The Heyday.